Call for Artists: Celebrating Life! 2026
Issue Date: January 29, 2026 6:00 AM
Closing Date: April 22, 2026 6:00 PM
VISION AND MISSION
The city of Las Vegas illuminates arts and culture and celebrates the bold, dynamic and diverse community through providing access to artworks within city spaces and outdoors in the public realm. The city of Las Vegas' Public Art and Gallery Program serves valley residents and visitors, celebrating the city's extraordinary character, by acquiring and displaying artworks in public spaces and supporting community-led public art efforts.
EXHIBITION DESCRIPTION
The city of Las Vegas Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is proud to present the 26th Annual Celebrating Life! Juried Exhibition, in partnership with the city of Las Vegas Arts Commission. This long-standing exhibition highlights the creative talents of artists aged 50 and better, displaying a diverse array of artistic expression.
Guest juror, Lolita Develay, will carefully select the featured artwork to be displayed in the Charleston Heights Art Center Ballroom, with up to 30 awards to be presented across seven categories. Artwork not selected for the main ballroom exhibition will have the opportunity to be featured in the Salon des Refusés.
ELIGIBILITY
Open to Artists aged 50 and better in Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, and Nye Counties, excluding current city of Las Vegas employees.
AWARDS
The guest juror will select awards in the following categories; Drawing and Pastel, Painting (oil, acrylic), Mixed Media (printmaking, fiber art, collage, computer graphics, etc.), Photography (black and white, color, digital, Electrophotography, etc.), Ceramic (both hand built and wheel thrown), Sculpture (non-ceramic), and Watercolor and Gouache.
- Best of Show $500
- First Place $250
- Second $150
- Third $100
- Honorable Mention Plaque
TO APPLY
Click the link to complete the Celebrating Life! 2026 application and reserve your appointment. Please call or email if you need assistance completing the application form.
SCHEDULE
- Call for Artists Opens: Thursday, January 29, 2026
- In-person Application Assistance: Friday, March 13, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery, 800 Brush Street
- Call for Artists Closes: Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 6 pm PST
- Artwork Delivery Appointments: April 27-29, 2026
- Artist Notification Emails: May 4-7, 2026
- Nonparticipating Artist Artwork Pick-up: Friday, May 8, 2026
- Awards Reception: Friday, May 29, 2026, at 6 pm at the Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery, 800 Brush Street
- Exhibition on Display: Friday, May 29, 2026 - Thursday, September 10, 2026
- Artwork Pick-up: Monday, September 14, 2026, from 9 am to 5 pm
Related Exhibition Information:
-Artists will be required to sign an Artwork Loan Agreement.
-Award winners will be required to register as a vendor in the city’s purchasing system.
-By entering Celebrating Life, the artist agrees to leave their artwork up through the end of the exhibition date. No artist can remove their artwork without the consent of the city staff.
-Artwork must be hand-delivered or shipped to the address. If shipping the artwork, the costs of round-trip shipping are at the artist’s expense and must be prepaid.
-All artwork must arrive by 6 p.m. April 29, 2026.
-No entry fee is required.
-Only one artwork per artist.
-Artwork must have been completed within the past three years and not previously juried into a Celebrating Life exhibit.
-There will be a Salon des Refusés for all work not juried into the main exhibit.
-City of Las Vegas galleries cannot take responsibility for artwork that exceeds $1,500 in listed value.
Size Limits and Preparing Artwork:
-Artwork must be ready for immediate display if selected for exhibition.
-All parts of the artwork must be secured to adjacent parts. For example, sculptures must be securely glued or welded together.
-All two-dimensional work must have a wire secured to the back, ready for hanging.
-Two-dimensional artwork must not exceed 42” in either direction, including the frame.
-Three-dimensional artwork must not exceed 16” wide or 22” high.
-Artwork must not exceed 80 pounds.
-A pedestal and vitrine will be provided for three-dimensional artwork selected for the exhibition.
Juror Selection
-The juror will select the artwork and award winners for the final exhibition.
-City of Las Vegas employees are not eligible to apply.
-City of Las Vegas staff retains the right to disqualify any entries that do not meet entry requirements; this includes, but is not limited to, size and weight limits.
-Artwork entered in this exhibition must consider the audience and be appropriate for all ages to enjoy.
-City of Las Vegas staff have the right to refuse artwork based on audience suitability. Submissions containing graphic depictions of violence, sexually explicit imagery, and/or nudity are highly discouraged.
QUESTIONS?
We’re here to help! Please call or email if you have any questions.
Parker Arecchi, Visual Arts Specialist II
City of Las Vegas Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 702-229-5431 or Email: parecchi@lasvegasnevada.gov